John McArthur Jr. (1823–1890) was a prominent Americanarchitect based in Philadelphia. Best remembered as the architect of the landmark Philadelphia City Hall, McArthur also designed some of the city's most ambitious buildings of the Civil War era. Few of his buildings survive.
An 1860 illustration of McArthurUpon its completion, Philadelphia City Hall, built between 1874 and 1901, was the tallest occupied building in the world and the world's third-tallest building structure after the Washington Monument, which is 7 feet / 2.1 meters taller, and the Eiffel Tower, which is 515 feet / 157 meters taller. It remains the world's tallest all-masonry occupied building.
John McArthur Jr. was born in Bladenock, Scotland, on 13 May 1823,[1] and came to the United States with his family when he was ten years old. Much of his mature style was characterized by Italianate and Second Empire forms and several of his best-known buildings feature mansard roofs, which he helped to introduce and popularize in the United States. During the American Civil War, McArthur planned 24 temporary war hospitals, including Fort Delaware's 600-bed hospital on Pea Patch Island.[2]
Philadelphia has looked up to McArthur's architecture for more than a century. The 250-foot-tall tower-and-spire of his Tenth Presbyterian Church (1854) was the tallest structure in the city when built. (Its 150-foot wooden spire was removed in 1912.) Later, this was surpassed by the tower of City Hall (1874–1901), whose 548 feet (167 meters) made it the tallest occupied building in the world when completed. Until the late 20th century, an unwritten agreement among Philadelphia architects kept all buildings shorter than the top of the statue of William Penn atop McArthur's tower.[citation needed]
Personal lifeedit
A Presbyterian and a member of Tenth Church, McArthur was married to Matilda Prevost; they had two sons and two daughters.
Wagner Free Institute of Science, Philadelphia (1859-65)First National Bank building, now Science History Institute, Philadelphia"Residence for John McArthur Jr. West Philadelphia, Pa." (1881, demolished).Plan for U.S. Army Hospital, Fort Delaware, Pea Patch Island, DE (1863, demolished). This 600-bed hospital served the garrison, Confederate prisoners, and civilians.
^Wodehouse, Lawrence (1969). "John McArthur, Jr. (1823-1890)". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 28 (4): 271–283. doi:10.2307/988539. JSTOR 988539.
^The Annual Report of the Library Company of Philadelphia, by Library Company of Philadelphia, page 52
^. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
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For other people named John McArthur see John McArthur disambiguation John McArthur Jr 1823 1890 was a prominent American architect based in Philadelphia Best remembered as the architect of the landmark Philadelphia City Hall McArthur also designed some of the city s most ambitious buildings of the Civil War era Few of his buildings survive An 1860 illustration of McArthurUpon its completion Philadelphia City Hall built between 1874 and 1901 was the tallest occupied building in the world and the world s third tallest building structure after the Washington Monument which is 7 feet 2 1 meters taller and the Eiffel Tower which is 515 feet 157 meters taller It remains the world s tallest all masonry occupied building Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Death 4 Architectural work 4 1 Philadelphia buildings 4 1 1 Demolished Philadelphia buildings 4 2 Buildings elsewhere 5 Gallery 6 Descendants 7 ReferencesCareer editJohn McArthur Jr was born in Bladenock Scotland on 13 May 1823 1 and came to the United States with his family when he was ten years old Much of his mature style was characterized by Italianate and Second Empire forms and several of his best known buildings feature mansard roofs which he helped to introduce and popularize in the United States During the American Civil War McArthur planned 24 temporary war hospitals including Fort Delaware s 600 bed hospital on Pea Patch Island 2 Philadelphia has looked up to McArthur s architecture for more than a century The 250 foot tall tower and spire of his Tenth Presbyterian Church 1854 was the tallest structure in the city when built Its 150 foot wooden spire was removed in 1912 Later this was surpassed by the tower of City Hall 1874 1901 whose 548 feet 167 meters made it the tallest occupied building in the world when completed Until the late 20th century an unwritten agreement among Philadelphia architects kept all buildings shorter than the top of the statue of William Penn atop McArthur s tower citation needed Personal life editA Presbyterian and a member of Tenth Church McArthur was married to Matilda Prevost they had two sons and two daughters Death editMcArthur died in Philadelphia on January 8 1890 Architectural work editThis is a partial list nbsp Wagner Free Institute of Science Philadelphia 1859 65 nbsp First National Bank building now Science History Institute Philadelphia nbsp Residence for John McArthur Jr West Philadelphia Pa 1881 demolished nbsp Plan for U S Army Hospital Fort Delaware Pea Patch Island DE 1863 demolished This 600 bed hospital served the garrison Confederate prisoners and civilians Philadelphia buildings edit Tenth Presbyterian Church 17th amp Spruce Sts Philadelphia 1854 altered by Frank Miles Day 1893 3 Wagner Free Institute of Science 1700 W Montgomery Ave Philadelphia 1859 65 First National Bank Building 315 Chestnut Street Philadelphia 1865 67 Now the Science History Institute Philadelphia City Hall Penn Square Philadelphia 1874 1901 with Thomas U Walter Demolished Philadelphia buildings edit Assembly Building 10th amp Chestnut Sts Philadelphia 1851 rebuilt 1852 possibly by McArthur demolished Girard House Hotel n side of Chestnut St at 9th St Philadelphia 1852 demolished La Pierre House South Broad St Philadelphia 1856 demolished Continental Hotel SE corner 9th amp Chestnut Sts Philadelphia 1857 1860 demolished 4 American Sunday School Union building 316 320 Chestnut St Philadelphia 1858 demolished Franklin Farmers Market 100 block of Market St Philadelphia 1859 demolished Mikveh Israel Synagogue 117 N 7th St Philadelphia 1860 demolished 5 Mower Hospital temporary Civil War hospital Wyndmoor Philadelphia 1863 demolished Residence for Dr David Jayne 19th amp Chestnut Sts Philadelphia 1865 demolished Public Ledger Building SW corner 6th amp Chestnut Sts Philadelphia 1867 demolished John McArthur Jr Residence 4203 Walnut St Philadelphia 1881 demolished Children s Ward Presbyterian Hospital 39th amp Filbert Sts Philadelphia 1881 88 demolished Entrance The Woodlands Philadelphia 1936 demolished 6 Buildings elsewhere edit First Presbyterian Church Capitol Square 10th amp Capitol Sts Richmond Virginia 1852 3 7 U S Naval Hospital Mare Island California 1870 8 9 U S Army Hospital Fort Delaware Pea Patch Island Delaware 1863 demolished State Hospital for the Insane Danville Pennsylvania 1869 Still in use as Danville State Hospital 10 Pardee Hall Lafayette College Easton Pennsylvania 1873 11 12 Hospital for the Insane Warren Pennsylvania 1874 a Kirkbride Plan building Still in use as Warren State Hospital 13 Gallery edit nbsp La Pierre House 100 block of South Broad St Philadelphia 1856 demolished nbsp Continental Hotel SE corner 9th amp Chestnut Sts Philadelphia 1857 1860 demolished nbsp Franklin Farmers Market 100 block Market St Philadelphia 1859 demolished nbsp Wagner Free Institute of Science 1859 65 second floor Hall and galleries nbsp Mikveh Israel Synagogue 117 N 17th St Philadelphia 1860 demolished nbsp U S Hospital Fort Delaware Pea Patch Island DE 1863 demolished nbsp First National Bank 315 Chestnut St Philadelphia 1865 67 Now Science History Institute nbsp Public Ledger Building SW corner 6th amp Chestnut Sts Philadelphia 1867 demolished nbsp Congress Hall and Public Ledger Building nbsp Public Ledger Building from Independence Hall tower nbsp Pardee Hall Lafayette College Easton PA 1873 nbsp Philadelphia City Hall cornerstone Laid July 4 1874 nbsp Philadelphia City Hall Tower under construction 1890s nbsp Children s Ward Presbyterian Hospital Philadelphia 1881 88 demolished nbsp Tenth Presbyterian Church Philadelphia 1854 nbsp Naval Hospital at Mare Island California Descendants editA descendant David Paul McArthur works as an architect out of the Fishtown section of Philadelphia citation needed References edit Wodehouse Lawrence 1969 John McArthur Jr 1823 1890 Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 28 4 271 283 doi 10 2307 988539 JSTOR 988539 The Annual Report of the Library Company of Philadelphia by Library Company of Philadelphia page 52 Our History amp Architecture Tenth Presbyterian Church Archived from the original on 2012 03 07 Retrieved 2008 10 05 Untitled Document Congregation Mikveh Israel Woodlands Cemetery Main Entrance The Library Company of Philadelphia World Digital Library Retrieved 3 January 2014 First Presbyterian Church Tenth and Capitol streets Richmond Archived from the original on 2007 10 14 Retrieved 2008 10 05 Message from the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress Millard Fillmore 1853 p 738 The Solano Historian vol 19 1 2003 p7ff Danville State Hospital Pardee Hall Archived from the original on 2009 02 23 Retrieved 2008 10 05 Source The Architect s and Builders Pocket Book by Frank Eugene Kidder 1908 page 1546 Warren State Hospital Asylum Architecture History Preservation Kirkbride Buildings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John McArthur Jr amp oldid 1176025955, wikipedia, wiki, 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